Members

I only have one photo this week! This was at church yesterday, with a man who lived in Tassie!!

This week Summer has really made itself evident- I don't think I've ever been so hot (there's not a lot of air conditioning out here, and we spend a lot of time outside, so I'm really feeling the Polish summer!) I actually don't mind it though, it's nice not to have to wear layer on layer of coats and scarves and what not (although sometimes that can be fun too!). Yesterday we got on a tram that did actually have air-con, and it was like stepping into a little piece of heaven from being outside haha.


So I just realised I have a new planner, so it doesn't have last week in it, and I have a really bad memory about what happened, so I'll just start from yesterday and see if anything else comes to mind :) Well we had church on the 4th floor (it'll probably be the last time there, because our chapel has been renovated and should be ready to move into back on the 8th floor in time for next Sunday) and it was the Shaw's last Sunday in Gdańsk :( They are a senior missionary couple that came to this city when I first got here, so I've known them for a long time, and they pretty much fed me dinner every Sunday (except for the transfer I was in Warsaw)- so I owe them a lot. Not only do they make awesome dinner, but they are also just incredible people- great examples of service and charity, and so enthusiastic and motivating to the younger missionaries in our work. We're hopefully going to play volleyball with them today at the beach for p-day (if the rain holds off) so it'll be great to spend time with them one last time. Yesterday at church, we had a guest come, he's from Colorado and is a professor at a school in Gdynia (only for a few weeks though, so he's not permanently in our branch). It was pretty random how much we had in common, so he served his mission in Germany, plays the guitar, and lived in Australia for a year! He lived in Tasmania and said he went to the Sydney temple a couple of times, you probably wouldn't remember him mum, but in case you do, his name is Bill Emery and I got a photo with him haha! Pretty cool how small the world is.


Yesterday was also really great because we got to be with the members (love them so much, and I really do love this branch) and I just love how they are so loving and charitable. They put on a little party/get-together thing to say goodbye to the Shaws and it was so sweet. They will really be missed by the members here. Yesterday was great because it was fast and testimony Sunday. I bore my testimony (I used to be pretty shy about it before my mission, but now I think I'm a pro ;) haha, so I like to get up whenever there's time) and I really felt the Spirit from fasting as well. There is a special power in fasting, and I'm really trying to make sure I have meaningful fasts- it's been working, and I've been getting help and answers to my prayers. I know that God helps us as we do our part to let him help us.


After church, Sister Smith and I went to visit a former investigator. We found her apartment the other day, and her husband (I think) answered and said she's in hospital. So he rang her up and let us talk to her, and she invited us to visit her. I'm not sure what happened, but I think it must have been a stroke or something because she's not in a good state. So he gave us her room number and the address of the care place, and we went and visited yesterday, and unfortunately she was asleep, but the husband (or however he's related) was there and we got to speak to him a bit. We were hoping to sing some songs for the former investigator, but we ended up just talking to the man. I was reminded of the times we sung as a Relief Society at elderly homes during Christmas time, and our district spoke about it afterwards and decided we'd really love to go to hospitals/elderly homes here and offer if we can just come and sing some songs for the patients. I love music and I love how it can cheer people up. Sometimes people think we're just here to get more members for our church, but I think they're really missing the point, of the fact that we want to share the gospel, because we know that their lives will always be better with the knowledge of the restored gospel, than without it. It may not be easier, but it is true, and in an eternal perspective, it will always improve the quality of people's lives if they live by the principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful for the way the Church has blessed my life (not only the teachings, but the organisation itself, which is the means by which we are taught and can live the teachings). I want to share the gospel with others because I can say with total assurance, that people are better off with having restored gospel truths in their life, than without them.

I love you very much and hope you all have a lovely week. Again I would write more ahhh but I'm running out of time, so I'll just leave it at this!

From Sister Grgich